Presentation of the Internal Regulation of the Ejido of San Sebastiń Bachajón (@SIPAZ)

From October 18 to 20, 2018, in the three centers of the ejido San Sebastián Bachajón, in the municipality of Chilón (Ahlan Sac Hun, Ch’ich ‘and Bachajón), the presentation and dissemination of the Internal Regulation of said Ejido was carried out ( RIE). This document is the result of two years of work in which the Center for Indigenous Rights AC (CEDIAC), the Fray Bartolomé de Las Casas Human Rights Center and the Center for Women’s Rights of Chiapas (CDMCH) collaborated. After being approved by the majority, it was registered before the National Agrarian Registry (RAN) in July 2018.

The regulation was consolidated taking into account “the common interest for the care of Mother Earth and for the control of the territory.” For this reason, it includes protection for natural resources “that can not be sold, seized, mortgaged or given in guarantee for a debt” (Article 80 of the regulation). In a communique, they stressed that “we reject any program that seeks to strip us of the wealth of our territories and sell them to the highest bidder. Thus we defend the social property of our Ejido, which is part of our identity as Indigenous Peoples and for which we have fought since the time of our grandparents and grandmothers who preceded us »

Another notable point in the regulation is the prohibition of road blockades in its territory (Article 133), a problem that has been omnipresent in Chiapas in this last sexennium.

The presentation of the RIE (whose text is written in Spanish and Tseltal) ends with the following words: “Our last words are for the new generations because we want to offer this exercise of community agreements for the strengthening of our teltal institutions, so that respecting it, it will help us to renew our identity, to deepen our roots and to ensure the future of our people ».

On August 8 and 9, under the premise that “the construction of autonomy is done collectively”, a forum on “Free determination and defense of the territory” was held in the Bachajón ejido, municipality of Chilón.

On the first day of the forum, which was convened by the Movement in Defense of Life and Territory (Modevite), more than 500 people exchanged experiences of self-determination and defense of the territory among indigenous peoples. Representatives of the Permanent Commission for Peace and Justice in Oxchuc were present; as well as of the Indigenous Movement of the Zoque People of Faith in Defense of Life and Territory (Zodevite); of San Felipe de los Herreros (Michoacán) and of the Colectivo Emancipaciones.

The second day consisted of a pilgrimage and a mass in the Bachajón ejido. By means of a pronouncement the different movements and collectives demanded:

“To the Electoral and Citizen Participation Institute of the State of Chiapas, to carry out all the necessary steps so that in Chilón, Sitalá and Oxchuc, our right to elect our municipal authorities according to our internal normative systems becomes effective, a right which is recognized in the second article, section A, section III of the Political Constitution of the United Mexican States.

To the Federal Government ,to adapt the text of Article 115 of the Constitution, in such a way that the figure of the Indigenous Municipalities is contemplated, protecting and enforcing the recognition of the right to self-government on the part of indigenous peoples and communities throughout the country.

To the corresponding Authorities, to stop the process of privatization of water that puts our hydrological basins and the survival of our communities at risk. For us, water is not an economic resource, but a source of life, that is why we are willing to defend it to the ultimate consequences. “

On April 20, the Movement in Defense of Life and Territory (MODEVITE) presented the Council of Spokesmen of the Community Government of Chilón, elected in 20 regions of the municipality through the System of Uses and Customs. He explained that this Council “will be spreading the word in our communities about this alternative organization that seeks to resist the system of election by political parties and recover the indigenous constitutional right to self-determination, through the election of the Municipal Authorities according to our Indigenous Normative System, which allows us to exercise our own mode of government “.

More than 4000 people attended the event held in Bachajón “to ratify the path we have undertaken for several years, and through this demonstration, we tell the Mexican State and its Institutions that our organized struggle continues and that these Spokespeople will walk to unite and give more strength to our people ».

The next day, the same thing was done in the neighboring municipality of Sitalá. The MODEVITE stressed that “without refreshments, food or passage fees more than a thousand people met with a single slogan” not only do we seek new leaders, but a different way of governing “».

The MODEVITE explained that the more than 60 communities that filed the request with the Institute of Elections and Citizen Participation (IEPC) with more than 3,000 signatures of support, will be visited by the spokespersons and promoters of Community Government, “to continue building this different form of government despite the fact that until now the electoral institutions have not favored our request, as reported by the sentence of April 6 of this year, by the Electoral Court of the State of Chiapas. Therefore, the presentation of these comrades as well as the interposition of a new trial for the protection of political and electoral rights before the Regional Chamber of the Electoral Tribunal, is a visible argument that we wish to continue in our struggle, with more force and with the support of more and more sisters and brothers ».

An employee of the Human Rights Center Fray Bartolome de Las Casas (Frayba) was brutally attacked on September 18th. The attack occurred in Ejido Jotola, in the municipality of Chilon. The attackers were armed and are members of OPDDIC – the Organization for the Defense of the Rights of Indigenous and Campesinos. Because of the seriousness of the attack, please find below the Frayba press release in its entirety.

“San Cristobal de Las Casas, Chiapas September 18th, 2009

Press Release No. 30

Frayba employee injured by OPDDIC in armed attack

The paramilitary group Organization for the Defense of the Rights of Indigenous and Campesinos (OPDDIC) has ambushed and attacked a Frayba member and shot and injured a resident of San Sebastian Bachajon.

Today, at approximately 12 noon, Frayba employee Ricardo Lagunes Gasca was attacked while he was travelling in the area of Tila. The event occurred when Ricardo stopped in Ejido Jotola, in the municipality of Chilon, to get information for a legal action he is undertaking in his role as lawyer for Frayba. The legal action is to defend residents of San Sebastian Bachajon who have been jailed. At the time, the people of San Sebastian Bachajon were holding a work meeting with the residents of Jotola, both of whom are supporters of The Other Campaign.

After getting up to date about the situation of the prisoners Ricardo tried to leave the place in one of Frayba’s vans, but approximately 40 meters ahead the road was closed with rocks and a tree trunk. Unable to continue along the road, he was forced to stop. Ricardo was then ambushed and beaten by a group of approximately 60 people armed with sticks, rocks, machetes and guns. The attackers were all members of OPDDIC. While beating him, they forced Ricardo out of the van and took the car keys to try to take him to an unknown location.

Despite Ricardo’s attempts to talk to the OPDDIC members, the attack continued, putting his life in danger. The residents of Jotola and San Sebastian Bachajon (supporters of the Other Campaign) came to his aid and the OPDDIC attackers became distracted. Ricardo used this opportunity to flee, leaving all his belongings in the van.

After the intervention of the Other Campaign members the OPDDIC attackers reacted by shooting their guns, resulting in a bullet wound in the thigh of the left leg of Mr. Carmen Aguilar Gomez the 2nd, resident of San Sebastian Bachajon. After the gun attack, the Other Campaign members fled to avoid more confrontation with the OPDDIC. Despite this, the OPDDIC attackers surrounded the residents’ homes and threatened to come in as well as take over the main meeting hall by force.

As of 4:00 pm today (Friday) Frayba employees had received information from the residents of Ejido Jotola saying they have sought shelter in their homes. The residents have told us that approximately 20 people from OPDDIC are on guard with guns of various calibers and they have taken possession of the main meeting hall.

Background:

In the morning prior to the attack residents of Jotola saw individuals from the Preventative Police force (PEP) interviewing members of OPDDIC. According to several witnesses they could hear the OPDDIC members saying they were going to enter the main meeting hall and destroy the sign and attack the followers of the Other Campaign. Moments later, when Ricardo got in his vehicle, men and women from OPDDIC blocked the way even though our colleague identified himself as a worker from the Human Rights Center Fray Bartolome de Las Casas.

While the residents of Jotola and Bachajon were together in the meeting hall in the morning, members of OPDDIC were gathered 40 meters away where there was a patrol of the Preventative Police (PEP). The individuals of the Preventative Police maintained a dialogue with the OPDDIC. The events occurred after a sign had been placed in the meeting hall – the same one that had been robbed by members of OPDDIC the week before.

On August 20th residents of Jotola and Bachajon who are followers of the Other Campaign held a press conference to denounce the climate if harassment and threats because of OPDDIC. It was revealed at this time that those responsible for the harassment were originally from the communities of Jotola and Bachjon. They had previously been expelled from Monte Libano and had outstanding arrest warrants for murder and rape.

Also during the press conference Nemesio Ponce Sanchez, the General undersecretary of the government, was denounced for refusing to meet with the residents who had completed their promise of meeting in the offices of Frayba. They were supposed to fix a deadline for releasing two of the eight indigenous tseltals who remain behind bars in CERSS No. 14, also known as “El Amate”. The prisoners have been accused of criminal association and armed robbery, both false accusations as revealed by Frayba.

Later that same day the residents called Frayba to report they were being harassed by members of the Preventative Police (PEP) and there were patrols set up close to their homes, and especially close to the house of the head of the cooperative land association, Pascual Sanchez Perez. Since then, the PEP has maintained permanent patrols. A the beginning of September an official source told Frayba the accusations made at the August 20th press conference bothered General undersecretary Nemesio Ponce Sanchez. Apparently Ponce Sanchez had ordered officers of the Ministerial and Preventative Police to detain Pascual Sanchez Perez, the head of the cooperative land association, and professor Ricardo Sanchez, the spokesperson for Jotola, during the press conference.

Frayba condemns this act of aggression. It is an act of aggression that has been carried out within a context of hostility as well as the targeting different actors and methods of communication that work for the defense of human rights. Frayba points out the role the State government, including that of Juan Sabines Guererro, as promoters of aggression that goes against the work of this human rights center in areas of defense and accompaniment.